The present invention relates to a system for managing the route of a rail vehicle travelling on a rail network between a departure point and an arrival point.
As is conventional, rail networks are generally provided with detection means for detecting the position of the vehicle on the network, which means are connected to a central processor unit in which an algorithm is loaded that makes it possible to instruct a change in the route followed by the rail vehicle between the departure point and the arrival point, and, in particular, between a route-change node and a convergence node at which the route converges back on the initial route.
By means of a suitable machine interface, the central processor unit enables an operator to enter, in succession, the list of the points of the network via which the vehicle must travel as a function of external events that can require a change to be made to the initially-planned route.
For example, a change in the route can be made necessary by the fact that a departure platform or an arrival platform is unavailable, or by the presence of an obstacle on the rail track.
To change the route, the operator keys in manually all of the way points between the route-change node and the initial route convergence node, and then, where necessary, provides the link-up with the next stops.
Although that technique is relatively effective and reliable, it suffers from drawbacks, in particular because the operation is lengthy and must currently be performed manually.
An object of the invention is to mitigate that drawback.
The invention thus provides a management system for managing the route of a rail vehicle travelling on a rail network between a departure point and an arrival point, the network including detection means for detecting the position of the vehicle on the network, and a central processor unit provided with means for causing a change in the route of the rail vehicle between a route-change node and a convergence node at which the changed route converges back on the initial route, wherein the means for causing a route change include means for determining a set of routes comprising all of the possible routes between the route-change node and the convergence node, and means for comparing said set of routes with the initial route so as to cause the route change to be made along the route that is closest to the initially-planned route.
The management system of the invention may have one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all of their technically-feasible combinations:
the central processor unit includes computing means for computing the journey time along the route as changed by the means for causing a route change;
the computing means comprise means for computing the journey time along each section of changed route;
the central processor unit includes means for changing the time for which the rail vehicle stays at that arrival point;
the central processor unit includes means for changing a route or the arrival point of a rail vehicle, while the rail vehicle is travelling along said route;
when the rail vehicle is constrained to change departure platform, the route-change node is constituted by the departure point of the rail vehicle; and
when the rail vehicle is constrained to change arrival platform, the convergence node is a virtual point situated downstream from the arrival point, the rail vehicle being stopped at the arrival platform lying on the changed route.